Friday, May 14, 2010

DNA? I DON’T THINK SO

Ever since I’ve been able to read, I’ve avoided medical books like the plague. I only had to read the symptoms of a disease to believe that I had it. The same kind of acquired hypochondria must surely go quantum for doing your own DNA testing. I’m kinda relieved that these kits are not going on sale today.

“Now you can get instant photos, a pint of ice cream, and a home test to reveal your genes at Walgreen's. But those newest test kits have been pulled from the shelves, due to an outcry from scientists and genomics professionals, which prompted the Food and Drug Administration to contact Pathway Genomics, the makers of the Insight kit, marketed to "Discover Your DNA." In response to concerns from the FDA and Federal Trade Commission, Walgreen's has postponed the sale of those DIY genetic test kits. The test is not just for breast cancer, but is a very broad genetic screening, checking your risk for more than 70 diseases and conditions. That's an overwhelming amount of information, and the FDA is concerned, saying in a statement, "These kits have not been proven safe, effective or accurate and patients could be making medical decisions based on data from a test that hasn't been validated by the FDA.”Click here for more.